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More Thiel Turmoil – Is It Closed? Is It Open?

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Significant Staff Terminations Drop Headcount

New Thiel Audio logoWe are hearing from multiple sources both public and private that Thiel Audio has ceased operations, effective November 30, 2017. If true, the news would be a sad punctuation to the end of the story of a once proud  high-end audio brand that since 2012 has endured multiple CEO’s and their changing business plans. Current CEO Elyse McKenna is, by our count, the fifth CEO at Thiel since the end of 2012 – a year which started with co-founder Kathy Gornik as the CEO who then sold the company to David B. Griffin, a wealthy farmer and landowner according to our sources.

But, apparently, the answer to the question posed in our headline is that it depends on who you ask. CEO Elyse McKenna, in a telephone interview this afternoon, denied that Thiel is closed and tells us the company remains open for business.

See more on this confusing news on Thiel… [Read more…] about More Thiel Turmoil – Is It Closed? Is It Open?

Samsung’s Graphene Ball Battery Breakthrough

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Fully Recharge Batteries in Just 12 Minutes

Samsung logoKorean media is touting a major breakthrough in battery technology from the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT) called graphene ball. Said to dramatically improve both charging capacity and charging speed, the breakthrough could have a real impact on consumers who have come to rely on their battery driven mobile devices. And there are implications as well for electric automobiles and other applications.

See more on the Samsung graphene ball… [Read more…] about Samsung’s Graphene Ball Battery Breakthrough

Gibson Stuns the Music World, Shuts Down Cakewalk

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Acquired in 2013, Cakewalk was Killed for Philips, Gibson Says

Cakewalk logoIn what many in the industry are suggesting is yet another indicator of struggles at Gibson Brands, the company announced a little over a week ago that it would wind down operations at Cakewalk Inc., a popular music creation software company it owns. Music industry-centric websites around the internet exploded with largely critical coverage of the move, and comments on Cakewalk’s website are decidedly negative – both sad and angry – as customers seek to process the shocking news.

See more on yet another move by struggling Gibson…

[Read more…] about Gibson Stuns the Music World, Shuts Down Cakewalk

Toshiba: Beginning to Slip From View

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Company Pulls Monster LED Display from Times Square

Top of Toshiba's Times Square displayStruggling Toshiba Corp. has made what is undoubtedly a difficult decision and a big blow to their corporate ego  – they will abandon their giant LED display overseeing Times Square. The huge lighted billboard was a prominent showing of the Toshiba logo all year-round, but especially during the dropping of the ball on New Years Eve, when it served as the countdown shown on network TVs as cameras broadcast the ball drop around the world. The Toshiba logo has literally lit up Times Square for ten years, having been first erected there in December 2007.

See more on Toshiba’s decision to vacate Times Square… [Read more…] about Toshiba: Beginning to Slip From View

Klipsch Gets It On…On-Wall, That Is

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Klipsch logoKlipsch announced today it has launched an entirely new line of on-wall speakers, designed to augment on-wall flat panel TV installations with richer, more dynamic audio. This new series of products, called the Reference Premiere Designer On-Wall speakers take up minimal space, while delivering maximum sound.

See more on Klipsch Reference Premiere Designer On-Wall speakers… [Read more…] about Klipsch Gets It On…On-Wall, That Is

Quirky Shinola Launches New Headphone Line, Made in Detroit

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Can of ShinolaQuirky Shinola, the scrappy Detroit, MI-based manufacturer of an eclectic collection of disconnected product lines, including watches, bicycles, leather goods, jewelry and, now, audio, has introduced a line of headphones, including over-ear, on-ear, and in-ear models. The company, which is owned by Bedrock Manufacturing Company, LLC, is as much an experiment in bringing manufacturing back to bankrupt Detroit, as it is a power brand.

See more on this new headphone line from Shinola… [Read more…] about Quirky Shinola Launches New Headphone Line, Made in Detroit

Gibson Brands: Putting Its Assets On the Line

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Sells Warehouse & Property for $6 Million

Gibson_Bus_Fleet-1

Gibson Brands, Inc. has reached an agreement to sell its property on a half-acre in the North Gulch area of Nashville, TN to a private equity group for $6.38 million, according to a report by the Tennessean. The property includes an unused Gibson warehouse. The purchase was by Somera Road Inc., who worked in partnership with Tricera Capital, a Miami, FL private equity company.

See more on this Gibson Brands deal, which may not be done yet…

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CEDIA’s Big Dig in Fishers, IN Begins

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Association Breaks Ground on $14 Million HQ Building

CEDIA announced today it has broken ground on its previously revealed new $13.7 million headquarters building being built in Fishers, Indiana. The project is expected to take about a year to complete, with the organization taking residence in November 2018.

See more on this move by CEDIA… [Read more…] about CEDIA’s Big Dig in Fishers, IN Begins

Nearly 60% of Prime Users Say No to Amazon Key

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Photo of Amazon Key service deliverConsumer’s Front Door an Impenetrable Barrier to Online Delivery People

Gifted visionaries like Jeff Bezos can image amazing products and convenient services. For example, like designing the world’s easiest online shopping site…and, dreaming of having consumers purchase goods online to be delivered IN their home. Today, in 37 cities across the United States, Amazon is launching its new delivery service where deliveries are placed past your temporarily unlocked front door and placed into your home…thanks to a special $250 door lock and cloud camera packaged solution that can be temporarily opened for the delivery person, called Amazon Key.

See what Amazon Prime subscribers think of Key in a survey by Recode… [Read more…] about Nearly 60% of Prime Users Say No to Amazon Key

CEDIA Elects New Board Members; Is Change at Hand?

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Photo of Matt D. ScottCEDIA has wrapped up the election process for three open board seats that we first told you about here in a post from September. There were a total of seven candidates vying for three open slots. The election is over and ladies and gentlemen we have a winner, er, three winners.

See who joins the Board for 2018… [Read more…] about CEDIA Elects New Board Members; Is Change at Hand?